A disappointing start to the season trudged along and, clearly, it was getting Derrick Henry. The Titans running back often voiced frustration in his own performance during the first half of the season, consistently ending an interview with a recurring thought: “I have to get better.”

The slow start gradually meant a downtick in opportunities for Henry, only now he’s making the most of his opportunities.

“You look at these couple of games, Derrick’s definitely earned more carries,” Titans offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur said ahead of their game against the Texans on "Monday Night Football" (7:15 p.m. CT, ESPN/ABC) in Houston. “There’s no doubt about it.”

Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton (13) pulls in a catch near the sideline in a play that was reviewed and ruled a touchdown in the third quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018, in Indianapolis, Ind. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com

Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton (13) celebrates as he crosses the goal line for a touchdown in the third quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018, in Indianapolis, Ind. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com

Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) is slow to get up as he's observed by team personnel in the second quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018, in Indianapolis, Ind. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com

Colts wide receiver Dontrelle Inman (15) races up the field with a first down catch in the second quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018, in Indianapolis, Ind. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com

Titans inside linebacker Wesley Woodyard (59) stops Colts tight end Jack Doyle (84) as he dives for a first down in the second quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018, in Indianapolis, Ind. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com

Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri (4) kicks a field goal in the second quarter to make the score 10-0 over the Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018, in Indianapolis, Ind. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com

Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) scrambles out of the pocket in the first quarter against the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018, in Indianapolis, Ind. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com

Titans head coach Mike Vrabel shakes hands with defensive end Jurrell Casey (99) before the start of the game against the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018, in Indianapolis, Ind. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com

During the first six games of the season, Henry had 72 carries for 240 yards, or just 3.3 yards per carry, and no touchdowns. Over the Titans last four games, though, Henry is averaging 4.3 yards per carry with four rushing touchdowns.

“You look at last week (when Henry averaged 5.1 yards per carry on nine attempts against the Colts), he was ripping it up in there,” LaFleur said, “he was being decisive and he was delivering some blows on contact and falling forward.”

But Henry only has 38 carries over the past four games as Dion Lewis, who has run the ball 62 times, has taken on a featured role.

That has to be adjusted, LaFleur said.

“(Henry has) produced at a really high level in limited opportunities,” LaFleur said. “So we got to do a better job of trying to even that out and get him on the field.”

The Titans as a team are averaging 114.4 yards per game, which ranks 15th in the NFL. More troubling, though, is their yards per carry: they’re averaging 3.9 YPC for the season, which is 26th in the league.

“We have got to do a better job running the football,” LaFleur said. “We have no been good enough and that’s put a lot of pressure on our quarterback and the rest of the passing game and our young receiving corps. The better you are at running the football, that alleviates a lot of stress within the passing game.”